1. Field
The present disclosure relates to wireless communication, and more particularly, to methods for controlling a beamforming antenna and a wireless communication device performing the same.
2. Description of Related Art
Related art time division multiple access (TDMA) type wireless communication is based on a scheme in which transmission terminals transmit signals using different time slots, thus controlling collision and interference.
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a general TDMA-based wireless communication device 100 having an omnidirectional antenna. Referring to FIG. 1, a general TDMA-based wireless communication device 100 having an omnidirectional antenna includes an omnidirectional antenna 110, a transceiver unit 120, a controller 130, a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) reception unit 140, and a GNSS antenna 150.
For example, an automatic identification system (AIS) of a related art maritime wireless communication system has the same structure as that of the general TDMA-based wireless communication device 100 having the omnidirectional antenna illustrated in FIG. 1.
In the case of the AIS in a maritime wireless communication environment, an own station (e.g., a ship station), which has received an AIS message, creates a slot map on the basis of information included in a position report message received from a different station (a different mobile station or a different base station) and, while continuously monitoring slot occupancy status and plan information, secures a transmission-available slot and a candidate slot. With this scheme, however, in a case in which two or more ships are at a distance or in positions over which two or more ships are unable to perform communication with each other, the two or more ships may not be able to share mutual slot occupancy status and plan information. Thus, the two or more ships may simultaneously transmit messages at the same slot time to collide with each other.
FIG. 2 is a view illustrating distance ranges (or communication ranges) of an own station 100 and other mobile stations 100a and 100b. Referring to FIG. 2, the mobile station a 100-a and the mobile station b 100-b are within a communication-available range with the own station 100, and thus, they may be able to communicate with each other. However, a distance between the mobile station a 100a and the mobile station b 100-b is not within the distance range, and thus, the mobile station a 100a and the mobile station b 100-b are not able to communicate with each other. In this example, the mobile station a 100a and the mobile station b 100-b are not able to share a slot occupancy status and plan information with each other as mentioned above. Thus, the mobile station a 100a and the mobile station b 100-b may simultaneously transmit messages at the same slot time, and as a result, the own station may not able to receive both information transmitted from the mobile station a 100a and the mobile station b 100-b due to slot collision and interference.
In the related art, in order to enhance maritime communication efficiency, Korean Patent Application No. 10-2007-0125795 discloses a maritime wireless communication device having sector antennas divided to mutually independently perform transmission and reception on regions formed by dividing an azimuth. Also, Korean Patent Application No. 10-2014-0158290 discloses a directional antenna tracking apparatus using a directional antenna to extend a distance range of a maritime broadband wireless communication device. However, in the related art maritime communication field, a wireless communication device capable of enhancing communication efficiency using an omnidirectional beamforming antenna has not been disclosed yet.